The subject matter herein relates generally to receptacle connectors having contact assemblies.
High speed electrical connectors typically transmit and receive data signals across a mating interface. For example, some known receptacle connectors are mounted to a circuit board and include a card slot that receives a card edge of a plug connector at the mating interface. The receptacle connectors have contacts including deflectable spring beams at the mating interface that are spring loaded against the plug connector when the plug connector is loaded into the slot. The contacts are typically loaded or stitched into the housing. However, receptacle connectors having contacts on tight centerline spacing have problems with manufacturing the housing because the walls between channels holding the contacts are relatively thin, and there are problems holding the contacts in the channels because the thin walls have insufficient material to retain the contacts. Some known receptacle connectors utilize contact assemblies that are loaded into the housing. However, such receptacle connectors have problems retaining the contact assemblies in the housing. For example, press-fit features used to hold the contact assembly become stressed under the mating load. Additionally, the housing tends to bow and open up, causing insufficient retaining forces to hold the contact assembly in the housing. Additionally, the bowing changes the shape of the housing causing the positioning of the housing and the contact beams to be misaligned from each other, from the plug connector and/or from the circuit board.
A need remains for a receptacle connector that retains and positions a contact assembly for mating with a plug connector and mounting to a circuit board.